Sounds & Sights on Thursday Nights to hold open auditions for 2015 season

Sounds & Sights on Thursday Nights, one of Michigan’s premier summer concert series, is accepting applications to be considered for this summer’s entertainment lineup. Live auditions will be held March 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. at 400 N. Main Street in downtown Chelsea.

Celebrating its eleventh season, Sounds & Sights on Thursday Nights has become one of the state’s largest summer concert series with weekly crowds as large as 2,000 people. This year’s schedule kicks off June 4, 2015 and runs every Thursday through August 13, 2015. Entertainers perform on 11 separate staged areas throughout downtown Chelsea.

In addition to the 11 week schedule, a three day Sounds & Sights Festival will take place July 24 thru 26. The festival, now in its 39th year, helps raise funds to support the free Sounds & Sight Thursday Nights concert series.

We want to give emerging artists the ability to showcase their talents, and are searching for innovative acts to enrich the experience of our spectators, and to bring the event to a whole new level.

“The regional exposure and popularity of Sounds & Sights attracts so many new and highly talented performers that we decided to add an eleventh stage this year,” said Craig Common, event co-organizer and owner of The Common Grill. “We want to give emerging artists the ability to showcase their talents, and are searching for innovative acts to enrich the experience of our spectators, and to bring the event to a whole new level.”

There are over 110 paid spots available on the Thursday nights schedule. Auditions are open to musicians, singer/songwriters, jugglers, magicians, performers, dance troupes, artists and other street performers.

Interested parties are required to complete an application online at chelseafestivals.com/soundsights/auditions/. Applicants can choose to audition electronically or to perform at the live audition on March 23. There are 30-40 live audition slots available on a first come basis, and there is no charge to audition.

Those auditioning live will have 3-5 minutes to perform at one of three stages before a panel of judges made up of local musicians, committee members, merchants and celebrities. Performers should bring any necessary equipment with which they would normally perform.

Those who cannot make the live audition, or are not able to secure a time slot, should still complete the application online and send in a CD, demo, or email a link to an audio demo.

Selected performers will be contacted to schedule performance dates based on availability.